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I am from a small town in upstate NY and looking for a warmer area to raise my daughter. I am looking to relocate the fall of 08 so I have time, but I am anxious to hear about the good and bad of these areas I have been researching several areas along the NC coast but I could use some great insight and tips about certain areas. I am bascially looking for housing information (renting), schools, hospitals, daycare, beaches, low-crime areas. So far my list includes:
Jacksonville
Greenville
Fayetteville
Wilmington
I am looking more tword quiet suburb areas but with a reasonable drive to civilization. Any information will be helpfull and appreciated. Also if anyone has a feel for the employment situations in each area that would be great.
I am from a small town in upstate NY and looking for a warmer area to raise my daughter.....
I am looking more tword quiet suburb areas but with a reasonable drive to civilization. Any information will be helpfull and appreciated. Also if anyone has a feel for the employment situations in each area that would be great.
The Cape Carteret area is convenient to both Jacksonville and Morehead. It is under 20 minutes to Morehead and about 25 minutes to Jacksonville. Emerald Isle's beaches are ten minutes.
In fact Cedar Point, Cape Carteret, Swansboro, and Emerald Isle are pretty much a continuous small town with only slight differences.
It is a great year round climate. The cost of living is low. New housing is available from the low to mid $200K range to whatever your budget can stand.
There are a number of rental homes, many available for long term rental.
The biggest challenge is employment. There are many healthcare jobs, lots of service oriented jobs, and tons of seasonal spots to work.
If I had a do-over on my childhood, the Crystal Coast would be at the top of the list.
There is very little of the Carteret County paper that is online, but the jobs section is.
As to warmer, the water temperature today is around eighty, and we are on our way to having a spectacular 4th of July week. Every single one of the 800+ homes that the rental division of our company has are rented this week.
Even with that things are not that crowded at least to someone who is used to Washington, DC and Northern Virginia traffic.
I think what I like the most was no snow, and hardly any weather under 32 Fahrenheit. Most mornings in Dec, Jan, and Feb, I would turn the small gas log fireplace on for an hour or less. Some days that was all I needed.
There was no day all winter that I couldn't ride my bike or go for a walk on the beach. The winter beach sunsets (http://coastalnc.org/point - broken link) are dynamite.
There are hospitals in Morehead City, Jacksonville, and New Bern. Some folks go to Greenville also for specialists.
If you have more questions, send me a note. I'll try to find the answers.
Thanks to you both for your input. I think that I am going to look to Wilmington area for work and try to find a nice quiet town on the out-skirts to live. I still want to stay close to the water. Any suggestions between Wilimington and Jacksonville side?
Hey- I am looking for the same info. Planning to relocate from Baltimore, MD. Looking for warmer climate, beach proximity, and an area more affordable than Baltimore (although almost anywhere is better than here...).
I have a 13 year old daughter, so I need info on high schools. But I teach at the elementary level, so that info would be great too.
So far after weeks of research, Wilimngton is out due to low paying jobs due to college students driving it down, traffic is horrible ( no major interstate taking you from A to B), crime (but that is everywhere you go) and the list goes on.
Jacksonville is teedering on a No as well. I have heard extream good and then extream bad items. Marine town (possible low paying jobs) and that is about it. Housing looks affordable for us because we want to rent until we feel settled. Swansboro looks nice as a suburb, short commute. I havent been able to find too much info on renting homes though. I am in the construction administrative field so I need to get in with either an engineering company or construction company. My mom is in the medical billing field so she is looking to major hospitals or medical complexes.
Is there any particular reason why your family said no greengladezoo?
Anyone have any information about Greenville? Thanks for all comments
My family, after years of living and owning businesses that took them into all of these cities, said NO to Jacksonville for my daughter and I because of high crime.
There are web-sites to compare that statistically. Their comments were based on their experience. I will take that advice, but for you, check into the data.
I'm checking into Monkey Junction for an up and coming area with good investment potential. But, that is still Wilmington...
I found some comments about specific areas on other threads and have inquired about specifics. One thing I know from past experience is that comments about AREAS should not come from realtors because they are limited as to what they can say. (Even if an area is really undesirable, I hae heard from Realtors that they CAN'T say bad things.) Also, here in MD. I could call State Police for stats., but they also could not say one area was good or bad.
As far as the jobs, we both work in education, so for that, salaries are set and there are usually jobs available- even if just long or short term subtitute teach until something comes up.
I am selling a property here in Maryland and will only need to spend half of that on a new home, so I have a buffer until I get set.
Wilmington is considered to be the most expensive housing market in North Carolina: Click Here
-I live and work in Morehead City so I am prejudiced (in a positive way!!) towards my own home town. The Crystal Coast area has 86 miles of oceanfront beaches and is 1/10th the population of Wilmington.
- Greenville is growing quick. Some have nicknamed it, "Little Raleigh".
- Jacksonville is home to the Marine Corps base Camp LeJune. Housing prices tend to be lower there with a lot of new construction.
A good website to go to to about news and events in coastal NC towns is North Carolina Coastal News: Click Here
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I have been researching several areas along the NC coast but I could use some great insight and tips about certain areas. I am bascially looking for housing information (renting), schools, hospitals, daycare, beaches, low-crime areas. So far my list includes: 
Close to most of what you're looking for
Jacksonville?
